I've been covering the video game space for 20 years for outlets like The Washington Post, Reuters, CNET, AOL, Wired Magazine, Yahoo!, Entertainment Weekly, NBC, Variety, Maxim, EGM, and ESPN. I serve as EIC of GamerHub.tv and co-founder of GamerHub Content Network, a video game and technology video syndication network that works with Tribune and DBG to syndicate game videos and editorial around the world. I also cover games for outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, IGN, Geek Monthly, CNN, DigitalTrends and PrimaGames.

Sony confirmed a holiday release date for its next generation PlayStation 4 at PlayStation Meeting 2013, but it saved a lot of the important details like price point, actual release date and what the console even looks like for a later date. But that hasn’t stopped retailers around the world from starting to take pre-orders for the new device. Stores in the UK like Game and ShopTo are taking small deposits to reserve a console for Christmas. Amazon in the UK has a dedicated PS4 section where you can sign up for updates on when they’ll take pre-orders.

In the US, GameStop hasn’t started taking PS4 pre-orders yet. A press note said that “there simply aren’t enough details announced” – and that was after the press conference in New York. Instead, the retailer is asking its GameStop PowerUp Rewards members to join the PS4 First to Know List “to receive title announcements, trade and pre-order details, and similar offers related to the PS4” at any brick-and-mortar story or online at www.GameStop.com/PS4.

“Customers on the list will be the first to get PS4-related news from GameStop, like when GameStop opens pre-orders on the PS4 system and games,” read the release. “However; joining the list is not a reservation, nor does it guarantee a PS4 on a specific date or at a certain price.”

Tony Bartel, president of GameStop, told me: “We are very excited about the upcoming holiday launch of the new Sony PS4. The new system brings much needed innovation to the video game market. Our consumer base has shown strong early enthusiasm for the PS4 as evidenced by more than 100,000 people who have already signed up for our First To Know List.”

KontrolFreek is taking a different approach. The company, which makes really cool accessories for controllers that improves accuracy, but more importantly makes long play sessions more comfortable, is offering gamers a chance to win one of four PS4 consoles.

The KontrolFreek PS4 Score Sweepstakes will guarantee four winners will own a PS4 this fall by securing a pre-order for the console – again, a console that has been announced but isn’t actually for sale anywhere yet. Still, it’s a good way to gain attention for its accessories.

To enter, contestants only need to “Like” KontrolFreek on Facebook. Contestants can gain additional entries by recruiting their friends. The PS4 Score sweepstakes runs from Feb. 21 through March 5, 2013.

“We are excited about Sony’s announcement and the opportunity to give our community of gaming enthusiasts a chance to win the new PS4,” said Ashish Mistry, CEO of KontrolFreek, in a release.

Right now, this is the first company to jump into the “win a PS4” console, but there are sure to be others. In the past big brands like Mountain Dew partnered with Microsoft to give away an Xbox 360 every 10 minutes at launch. While that exact promotion might not be replicated, I expect big companies to take advantage of the short supply PS4 will be in this Christmas. For that matter, the next Xbox, if indeed it launches this fall, will also be hard to find. Even the Nintendo Wii U couldn’t keep up with demand last year. And historically, no new console has ever been able to keep up with the number of global gamers willing to pay whatever price to be the first to own a new console.

One thing to watch out for is scammers. There are sure to be scams between now and launch for both PS4 and the new Xbox that will attempt to lure people with promises of free consoles, or even just guaranteed consoles. Stick with real retailers and you’ll be safe. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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I dont think demand is going to be high for the PS4 and also I don’t think they will be hard to find since the majority of gamers that I have seen so far aren’t even interested in buying a PS4 or giving up their PS3 to buy a PS4

Just say what you really mean… You can’t afford a ps4 and are gonna hate on it for that reason alone. PS4 has evolved console gaming on a similar scale to PC gaming when it comes to quality. It is about a year behind PC gaming at this point…. Where as PS3 was about 5 years behind when it was initially released… Microsoft is going to have their hands full trying to compete with PS4 and is going to need more than the Illumiroom Gimmick

well maybe that’s not what they really meant. just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you have to go buy it because it’s “evolved console gaming” or “the ps3 was 5 years behind”. the ps3 is still a good useable console and i know a lot of people who will be sticking with it, myself included.

It’s naive and ignorant to actually think a multi-billion dollar corporation such as Microsoft is going to lack in specs when it comes to something like a next-generation gaming console. Do you honestly believe they are going to rely on the Illumiroom tech and give little bumps in hardware? They are fully aware this is a highly competitive market and Sony wasn’t/isn’t just going to sit on their hands and come out with some mediocre product.

Is it naive? If ps3 hadn’t took a chance on the new cell processor xbox wouldn’t have had as much success as it had. Personally I switched to 360 for this reason alone, Certain games were only playing at 30fps when they were playing at 60fps with the 360 early on when devs were not familiar with ps3 hardware. With ps4 working with devs since 2007 to make the perfect gaming rig for developing, Microsoft now has a lot on its plate as far as competition. Sony has 144 developers atm with that likely to increase in the near future as the ps4 date is becomes closer. When all is said and done the PS4 will be the superior console. If the 720 comes out with an 8 core processor, 8gb of dd5 memory, and a Custom Fitted GPU with the likes of the 7950 card or better than I will concede. The OS of the ps4 alone and the features it has brought to the table are brilliant and quite innovative. We will see what the 720 offers us in comparison.

Sorry if my comment seemed a bit more hostile than what I had meant it to. I am actually biased towards Microsoft as I love my 360, but I would agree that Microsoft had better not rely too much on the peripheral technologies such as Kinect and illumiroom in order to compete. Sony’s machine impresses from a specs standpoint thus far, and we’ve really only seen the tip of the iceberg as what Sony has to offer. I’m assuming they have a Kinect technology included based on the controller sensor. I think both machines will be pretty comparable spec wise, and each will have something the other won’t, but if Microsoft feels the need to sacrifice slightly in the gaming area to give more power to stuff like Kinect and their OS apps (like being able to run multiple apps at once or something) then they could very well lose my interest. I’ve seen the rumors that it will require a constant internet connection, which would be a big turnoff for me even though I have access, and i’ve seen that they have an 8 core processor, but 2 cores alone will be dedicated to Kinect with another 1 or 2 dedicated to the operating system. While they’re obviously just rumors at this point, utilizing the machine’s cores or GBs of RAM etc in such a manner is not something that impresses me, and i’d assume the more hardcore gamers would agree.

maybe you should read up before you go into battle to defend the xbox… microsoft has said that it is not aiming to compete with the specs of the ps4 and is taking a different approach. its obvious you are just a xbox zealot, because even the current generation ps3 is more powerful than the xbox. the only “benefits” to the xbox are the controller (size/shape not layout) and it is easier to develop for (reason why xbox has so many small “indy” games). the benefits of the ps3 over the xbox are too many to count… also the next gen ps4 fixed the development problem and on a side note my hands have never gotten sore form the ps3 controller.

Hi John Gaudiosi, thanks for that update. How come all the UK is always ahead of us when it comes to Sony stuff? They already got Xperia Z lined up for purchase in the UK (and France too) next March. Well, hopefully your blog posts will help coax retailers in the States to follow suit with PS4 pre-orders and promos! Thanks again!!